Deputy charged with child porn, assaulting child is off payroll

WOODSTOCK – A sergeant facing both state and federal charges that he sexually abused a young boy is no longer on the county payroll, McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren said.

Gregory M. Pyle, 36, who had been head of the evidence division since June 2010, was relieved of his law enforcement duties and placed on administrative leave shortly after his first arrest in January.

He was arrested again Tuesday on federal charges – the same day his accrued sick and vacation days ran out, Sheriff Keith Nygren said.

"He is no longer getting any pay or benefits," Nygren said. "He's done."

Nygren said he was told by Pyle's attorney that Pyle planned to resign once the benefits ran out.

"His attorney assured me that he was going to resign," Nygren said. "I'll give him an opportunity to do that."

If not, Pyle will be fired, Nygren said.

Pyle, who earned an annual salary of $85,800 with an hourly rate of $41.25.

His gross income was $3,300 every two weeks, or $2,282 in take home pay.

Nygren said his attorney, John Kelly, advised him that Pyle could not be denied his earned benefits.

"He was on a leave, but we had to pay him until his benefits ran out and the agreed upon date was [Tuesday]," Nygren said.

The fact that the federal charges were handed down on the same day was a coincidence, Nygren said.

"There's no connection," he said. "He's done and that was agreed upon months ago."

Pyle is currently being held in federal custody without bond on charges of aggravated sexual abuse and exploitation of children. He has a detention hearing Friday.

Meanwhile, he has a scheduled Sept. 10 court date in McHenry County, where he faces 10 counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child.